The present invention relates to concentrated perfume compositions. The invention further relates to a method of manufacturing a fabric softening composition from the concentrated perfume composition, and, to a fabric softening composition so produced.
In the commercial manufacture of fabric softening compositions the accurate dosing of minor ingredients e.g. dyes, perfumes etc. is often problematic because of the low levels of these ingredients required in the compositions so that the relative proportions of these minor ingredients are difficult to control. Also when compositions are produced in batches this requires that the exact levels of minor ingredients, particularly dye and perfume, must be added individually which increases the possibility of inaccurate dosing.
It is also known that concentrated perfume compositions are prone to instability problems.
Thus there is a need to provide stable concentrated compositions of well-known minor ingredients such as dyes and perfumes for use in the manufacture of coloured and perfumed compositions such as fabric softening compositions.
WO 98/08927 (Colgate-Palmolive Company) discloses colour/perfume concentrate compositions comprising 0.01% to 85% by weight of a polymer bound water soluble azo dye, 99.95% to 15% by weight of a perfume and 0 to 99.99% by weight of a nonionic surfactant or an ethoxylated glycerol type compound.
WO 00/06690 (Colgate-Palmolive Company), published 10 February 2000, discloses a water-in-oil microemulsion which is capable of being mixed with an aqueous fabric softener base composition and which comprises 5 to 80% by weight of a surfactant fabric softener, a solvent, perfume and colourant.
EP 922 755 (Procter and Gamble) discloses compositions wherein alcohol ethoxylates are used to solubilise dye.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,447,644 (IFF Inc.) discloses a method of controlling the viscosity of fabric softening compositions to improve shelf life by first forming a micro-emulsion of perfume and surfactant.
The present invention seeks to address the above problems and to provide a stable concentrated composition which comprises at least two minor ingredients found in fabric softening compositions at higher levels than are typically used in a consumer product.
Accordingly the present invention provides a liquid composition comprising;
(a) 15-95 wt % lipophilic perfume,
(b) 0.05-5 wt % water-soluble dye,
(c) 4-50 wt % of stabilising agent comprising a cationic stabilising agent, and
(d) water-miscible solvent,
wherein the composition comprises between 0.1 to 20 wt % water, and the cationic stabilising agent has an Lxcex1 to Lxcex2 transition temperature of 45xc2x0 C. or below for a 5% wt dispersion of the stabilising agent in water, and the solvent is present in an amount of up to 10 wt %.
All percentages by weight herein refer to the percentage based on the total amount of the composition.
The invention also provides a method of preparing a fabric softening composition comprising the steps;
(i) preparing a base composition comprising a cationic and/or nonionic fabric softening agent, and
(ii) adding to (i) a composition as defined above to produce the fabric softening composition.
Furthermore the invention also provides a fabric softening composition obtainable by the method above.
The invention provides a concentrated perfume-containing composition that also contains dye, both in a much higher concentration than would typically be found in a fabric softening composition. This provides a stable pre-mix of minor ingredients (perfume and dye). Which can be prepared at suitable ratios for direct dosage into a base composition. Excellent accuracy of the dosage of these minor ingredients into a base composition is achieved and this thus simplifies automated preparation of fabric softening compositions.
Furthermore the concentrated perfume and dye compositions allow accurate dosing of these minor ingredients to a base composition at a late stage (eg. after the main active ingredients have been mixed) of the manufacture of a fabric softening composition. This in turn allows a wide range of compositions to be prepared from a pre-compounded base composition, so providing easier and more versatile manufacture. Thus changing between variant formulations is simplified as only a small part of the automated production apparatus requires cleaning when the xe2x80x98minorsxe2x80x99 are changed in the composition (as a single xe2x80x98minorxe2x80x99 composition can be used in the process). This provides reduced aqueous effluent, saves production time and provides increased production flexibility.
In particular, the invention provides the preparation of a concentrated composition of perfume and dye, wherein the perfume and dye are of different lipophilic and lipophobic characters.